I am an Artist. I am a Data Scientist!
It took me 26 years to get comfortable applying to myself the title, “Artist.” When asked, I’d say “I am an engineer… and a musician.” These were always my identifiers, my titles, my identities.
My family/community has heavily invested in me and I’ve earned the credentials to list my titles. I earned the engineering bachelor’s degree and took the Obligation of an Engineer during commencement. I graduated from weekend music conservatory in high school and earned that diploma while making money as a worship musician those same weekends.
Experience and incorporation of our entity brought me into the education non-profit space while a quick and comprehensive Masters degree experience and subsequent work in a school network should well position my future and continued work in education technology. And all of these experiences are tangible:
“I work as an engineer in X industry” or
“I work with Y, the expert in Z sector of Q”
And as a 90’s kid the word “Artist” took me here
Here
Or…elsewhere magical and transcendent.
“Artist” sounds ethereal, transient, potentially fake. At the very least, it did to me.
More specifically, in American society, there were Les Artistes: those exceptional and lucky enough to have their art consumed at scale.But there was a much larger pool of professionals whose art had to take a backseat to others’ work or service that could be consumed at scale. And if you were in the latter but chose not to submit, struggle awaited as you solely pursued your art.
Because of my specific experiences I found it hard to reconcile the future I wanted with paths that — from my perspective — diverted. The groups of choirs and musicians I’d worked with had specific struggles I wouldn’t encounter working in “corporate culture” and vice versa.
And so by chance of habit my worlds have been highly compartmentalized (weekday vs. weekend) since high school: rigorous study and necessary industry during the week; art and worship scheduled for weekends; “And never (definitely seldom) the two shall meet.”
The hours between 9 to 5 where I could be honing my technique, absorbing and creating music were instead spent “working” (which partly necessitated the weekend’s release). At least, this was my rationale. And therefore, “Artistry” was not my calling.
But at 26, my friend Joy in her wisdom named a piece of my identity for me.
“You’re an artist,” she deadpanned at our friend’s barbecue.
“Well… I am a musician, but probably more engineer than artist,” I retorted disbelievingly.
Art was not what I’d done, was not where my 40 hours had gone, and therefore could not qualify in the same way. But through pointing out certain idiosyncrasies in processes I undertook and what I valued in work and connection, I was eventually convinced of a different perspective.
My artistry was inescapable. My artistry is inescapable, because it’s a perspective that recognizes patterns based on what I’ve sensed consciously and unconsciously, then subconsciously propels my thoughts in unexpected ways, then generates a new set of questions.
Acting on the questions that flood is what manifests that art into the world, but the artist will continue to make unexpected connections and ask unexpected questions, even if they’re never verbalized. And they’ll persist until they’re compelled out through grace or forced out via pressure. Because artistry is a perspective that is cultivated and organic.
Data science gives form and potential to these questions. Data science allows musicians to answer questions they would not have even formed 10 years ago.
With the democratization of data and knowledge, my world is opened in a way drastically different than I’ve seen even in my relatively short lifespan. How much earlier my ears would have opened had I the technology to produce music that today’s kindergartners have! And how precise are today’s exploitative attacks on the poorest and most vulnerable! How quickly technology enables society to exacerbate the division and conflict all over the world!
And so I try to remain in a space of gratitude for my journey and the sum of experience that grounds my perspective as I transition into data science. Technology changes and quicker obsolescence are also symptoms of the times so I’m thankful to currently be enrolled in Flatiron’s Data Science Bootcamp where I’m refreshing my skill set with state-of-the-art tools and instruction.
Finally, data science is the natural progression of my journey as an engineer and artist. It’s a space to meld my love for rigorous analysis with my appreciation for unique storytelling. Mostly, however, it’s the best space for one (individually or collectively) to impact the greater world around us at scale. Services and industries have yet to be created through data science. Many questions from artists around the world yet exist dormant, awaiting the universe’s next grace or disaster to spring forth. As an artist, as a data scientist, I yet await my next opportunity.